Chapter Text
After hours of being locked in the room, Clarke and Murphy are finally released. “The ceremony is about to begin,” the guard tells them. “Follow me.”
He guides the pair to the throne room where a body, presumably Lexa’s, is on display covered by a white sheet. The guard tells Murphy to stay near the back. Clarke however takes her place beside the other ambassadors.
“Bring in the Nightbloods,” Titus commands from his place in front of Lexa’s body.
The Nightbloods file in and form a semicircle in front of Titus. The only ones Clarke actually knows are Aiden and Ontari. She hopes for her people’s sake that Aiden is chosen. Ontari doesn’t seem like the type that would forgive her for trying to poison Queen Nia.
“The Spirt of the Commander will now chose the next Heda,” Titus announced. He pulled out the AI and presented it to everyone. Then he began muttering things in under his breath that Clarke couldn’t make out. He strode forward to the first Nightblood and presented them with a knife. The girl slit her palm and let the blood drip onto the AI. After a moment of no reaction Titus wiped off the blood and moved on to the next person.
This continued around the circle. When he reached Ontari, Clarke tensed up. The chip didn’t react. Clarke let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. Last was Aiden, but there was no reaction from the chip when his blood dripped onto it. There was however a very loud reaction from several people.
“What is this nonsense?” “What does this mean?” “We must have missed someone. Are there any other nightbloods?”
“What color do the Skaikru bleed?” And amidst all the chaos that voice was heard over everyone.
Clarke was pushed forward toward Titus. One of the other ambassadors grabbed slit her wrist and held it over the AI until her blood dripped onto it.
“You could have just asked,” Clarke snarls. “My blood is… red?” The blood on her hand was indeed red, but the drops on the AI appeared black. The AI sprang to life in Titus’s hands.
“The new commander has been chosen,” Titus announced.
“What? No, this is a mistake. It’s supposed to be Aiden,” Clarke protested.
“The original commander fell from the sky.” Clarke turned to see that it was the ambassador that pushed her forward who was speaking. “She might sense this trait in you and have chosen you for this reason.”
“Or it knows of the power you possess Wanheda,” another ambassador suggested.
“Wanheda Clark kom Skaikru has been chosen as our new commander,” Titus announced. “We must begin preparation for her ascension.” Titus took Clarke’s arm and led her out of the throne room and into what used to be Lexa’s room.
“Titus, you have to fix this,” Clarke pleaded. “I don’t know how to be commander. Aiden was supposed to be the new commander, not me.”
“The commander’s spirit has chosen you,” Titus answered. “Lie face down on the bed.”
“What are you going to do?” Clarke was wary but still followed his command.
“I need to unite you with the spirit of the commander and then I will have someone give you thee marks of the commander. I’m sure you are familiar with them.” He said the last sentence with contempt in his voice reminding Clarke of the reason that Lexa was dead. “This might hurt a little bit.”
Clarke must have passed out from the pain because when she wakes up her back stings and she feels and itching on her neck. “Oh good, you’re awake.” She turns her head to see Titus standing in front of the window. “Would you like to see your marks?”
Clarke nodded as she lifted herself off the bed. She surprisingly doesn’t mind the fact that she is walking around topless in front of Titus. She walked over to the large mirror and Titus gave her a smaller mirror so she could see her back. They look exactly like Lexa’s from the infinity symbol to the large back design.
“What happened to- did you…” She struggled to find the words as her eyes traced the designs.
“The others have not been executed,” Titus told her answering her unspoken question. “We did not think it would fit well with your ‘blood must not have blood’ policy. But you must get dressed now. Your ascension is not yet complete.”
Clarke, as the new commander, had to burn the body of her predecessor. She stood watching the flames until the pyre was reduced to ash. Then all the leaders of the twelve clans had to swear fealty to her. Clarke was overwhelmed by the whole process. She wish she had a friend beside, but all she had was Murphy who looked even more lost than her.
The ceremony lasts through the night and the throne room only starts to empty as the first light of day starts to peek through the window. “Heda, there is still the matter of Skaikru and the blockade,” Titus addressed her. “What should be done about them?”
“I’ll talk to them,” Clarke answered. “They’ll listen to me.” As she said the words she did not completely believe them. Her people didn’t trust her anymore. She had left them. Arkadia wasn’t her home and not it never would be. As she looked in the mirror at her appearance she could tell that she didn’t belong with them.
“Prepare horses for Murphy and myself. I will fix everything,” she promised.